Lisa Cline – CMS School Board – District 5

LPMeck Alignment

Summary of Responses
68% 🟡

Supports decentralizing CMS into smaller, autonomous districts, reducing consultant reliance, and ensuring transparency and merit-based hiring. She praises transportation efforts but acknowledges inefficiencies, emphasizing equitable, safe education for all students.

Full Answers Provided by the Candidate:

1. Should CMS remain county-wide or be split into smaller districts?

The state of NC performed a study a number of years ago and found that it would be cost prohibitive to split CMS into smaller districts. I may personally believe in smaller districts, but do not want to lose the programs allotted in the districts. I also do not want to duplicate personnel and salaries.

2. Is the superintendent hiring too many from outside the system?

There have been many talented people within the district who have left or have been overlooked. While many new people have been hired who are talented and have added to the district, I wish there was a balanced approach from the superintendent. Some of the new hires are having to spend valuable time learning how to work a large school district when that time could be better used by experienced CMS staff.

3. Is CMS relying too heavily on consultants?

Yes. With the talented professionals already within CMS and the additional staff hired under the superintendent, the heavy dependence on outside consultants is unnecessary. While student achievement scores have improved, the money spent on external consultants could have been better invested in hiring permanent staff who would directly support schools. Our Central Office staff is capable of guiding this work, and redirecting resources to in-house expertise would build capacity and sustainability for the long term.

4. Is the current transportation/shuttle stop system effective?

No. The system remains ineffective, as we continue to face consistent late bus arrivals and departures. Parents report children not being picked up on time in the mornings and arriving home late in the evenings. With Mecklenburg County’s ongoing traffic challenges and a shortage of bus drivers, we must revisit our routes and bus stop policies. Families of students at “late” schools also express concern that their children lose valuable time for extracurricular activities due to delayed transportation. The district must address these inefficiencies to better serve families and students.

5. What is your most Libertarian stance on education, and how would you implement it?

I believe in education for all children. Every child should have equal access to quality education, free from unnecessary barriers. Implementing this requires empowering families with more choice in how and where their children are educated, ensuring transparency in how resources are allocated, and reducing reliance on top-down mandates. By decentralizing decision-making and prioritizing local, school-level leadership, we give educators and families the freedom to shape education in ways that best meet the needs of their communities.

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